Nola dominant again as Phillies beat Mets 3-1

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New York Mets' Yoenis Cespedes walks back to the dugout after striking out against Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Ricardo Pinto during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 3-1. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

By:Aaron BracyThe Associated Press Published on

PHILADELPHIA — Simple is working for Aaron Nola.

Nola held an opponent to two runs or fewer for his 10th straight start, Freddy Galvis had a go-ahead single during a fifth-inning rally and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the veteran-shedding New York Mets 3-1 on Saturday night.

Nola (9-7) gave up one run and two hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. He is 6-2 with a 1.71 ERA in his last 10 starts and is the only Phillies pitcher since 1900 to have 10 straight starts of at least six innings while allowing two runs or fewer, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"I'm not trying to do too much," Nola said. "I'm just trying to simplify things. You're taught to keep the ball down, and that's what I try to do."

Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph also had RBIs for the Phillies, who won despite just five hits. Odubel Herrera extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games with an eighth-inning single.

New York lost at Philadelphia for the first time in six games this season. Yoenis Cespedes hit his 10th homer in 18 games at Philadelphia, which put the Mets ahead in the fourth.

Having already traded Jay Bruce, Lucas Duda and Addison Reed, the Mets dealt veteran infielder Neil Walker and cash to the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named. Walker was scratched from New York's lineup and left the ballpark in the sixth inning.

"I'm excited to be back in a playoff race," he said.

Steven Matz (2-6) dropped to 0-5 in his last eight starts, but improved over recent outings by allowing two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Matz is 0-5 with a 9.51 ERA in his last seven appearances.

"He was much, much better," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He kept us in the game. A couple of ground balls. Other than that, he pitched well."

Matz held the Phillies hitless until Nick Williams' leadoff infield single in the fifth. Maikel Franco singled, Nola sacrificed, and singles by Hernandez and Galvis put the Phillies ahead 2-1.

Ricardo Pinto struck out Cespedes on a 98 mph pitch to strand two runners in the eighth, and Tommy Joseph hit a sacrifice fly against Erik Goeddel in the bottom half.

Luis Garcia came on with one on and one out in the ninth and earned his second save in his fifth tries by striking out pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores and retiring Travis d'Arnaud on a groundout.

LATE START

The game was delayed 33 minutes due to an on-field pregame ceremony in which the Phillies
honoured
players inducted into of their Wall of Fame while paying tribute to deceased members Jim Bunning, Darren Daulton and Dallas Green.

SCUFFLING

Philadelphia's Rhys Hoskins went 0 for 4 with a strikeout and is hitless in 10 at-bats with four strikeouts since he was brought up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

WEB GEM

Mets rookie SS Amed Rosario made a jump throw from just in front of the outfield grass to throw out Hoskins on a fourth-inning grounder.

"We heard about how good he was defensively and he's shown every bit of it," Collins said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: RHP Matt Harvey threw 18 pitches in an inning for Class A Brooklyn in his first rehab start since going on the DL on June 15 with a stress injury in his right shoulder. Harvey allowed a run one hit. ... RHP Jacob deGrom (bruised triceps) is on schedule to make his next start after a bullpen session on Saturday. DeGrom was hit on the right arm above the elbow on Williams' liner Thursday.

Phillies: Williams was plunked on the right hand by a Matz fastball in the sixth inning but stayed in the game.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Chris Flexen (1-1, 8.49) is to start for Mets on Sunday after beating Texas for his first big league win. Phillies starter RHP Zach Eflin (1-3) is coming off his first major league win this season, 5-2 over Atlanta on Tuesday.